"I can't remember the last novel I read," he told me. "I can read but I don't."
Questions: What do all these books have in common?
(Please scroll down to the very bottom of this post
--under the heading Sharing my Author Journey--for the answer.)
'The percentage of American adults who read literature--any novels, short stories, poetry or plays--fell to at least a three-decade low last year, according to a new report from the National Endowment for the Arts.' -The long, steady decline of literary reading
'The Pew Research Centre reported...that nearly a quarter of American adults had not read a single book in the past year.' -The Decline of the American Book Lover
'Work by the Pew Research Centre and other outfits have confirmed the testimony of teachers and parents and the evidence of one's eyes. Few late teen-agers are reading many books.' -The New Yorker
'80% of American families buy percisely zero books per year, a proportion which no doubt is echoed elsewhere in the western world.' Too Many Writers, Not Enough ReadersIf you enjoy reading... If you love books... You and me--writer and writer, writer and reader, reader and reader--we are on the same team: team reading.
Our team has a goal, a mission, a mandate--to spread the love of reading to everyone, everywhere.
Why is this issue so important to me?
Because I have known life without books. I was a reluctant reader; I have dyslexia. But thanks to dedicated teachers and caring parents, I won that fight and learned to read. And believe me, life with books is much, much richer.
Books...
Books open your eyes to new ideas.
Books answer questions.
Book make you think.
Books build bridges.
Books prove that you're not alone.
Books allow you to walk in someone else's shoes.
I could go on and on, but you get it. I know you do. We're on the same team.
How can we promote reading?
-give books as gifts
-read aloud to those who can't read or even to those who can
-discuss what you've read
-let them see you reading
-make books and magazines available to be read at your place of work or in your home
-talk about your favourite authors
-make your local bookstore your meet-up place
-don't judge. It doesn't matter if they are reading old classics, bestsellers, graphic novels or comics. All that matters is that they are reading.
-recommend a good book
-write reviews of your favourite books
-become a literacy advocate
-participate in reading events
all photos on this site were taken by Leanne Dyck--unless otherwise stated.
Picture Books in Canada
'Tradewind Books has been publishing prize-winning picture books, novels and poetry for children of all ages for over 15 years... Tradewind Books is a small publishing house with offices in Vancouver, British Columbia.'
Sharing my author journey...
This week I received another rejection letter. Correct, it wasn't just
any rejection letter. It was one of those rejection letters that makes you not only continue to write but also to share that writing with publishers. They wrote...
'This is a sweet story, but I'm afraid it isn't right for our list. I do wish you the best of luck with this elsewhere, however. It's certainly well written.'
Answer: To celebrate Read Local BC, this photo showcases books by BC authors--a small library of work by Mayne Island authors.
